Rolling-mill.



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ROLLING MILL.

APPLICAIION HLED APR. 2|. 1916.

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J; KENNEDY.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1916.

1,277,947. PatentedSept. 3,1918.v

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOO J. KENNEDY.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED APR 21, I916.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

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J. KENNEDY.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION MED APR. 2|, 1916. 1 77,947. PatentedSept. 3, 1918.

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WITNESSES INVENTOF! L KENNEDY.

ROLHNG MILL.

APPLICAHON FILED A535, 21, 1211s.

Patented Sept. 3,1918.

12 SHEETSSHEET 7- 'IIIII hum INVENTOR WITNESSES 1. KENNEDY.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES PatentedSept. 3,1918.

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J. KENNEDY.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION HLED APR-2|;1916.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET l0- INVENTOR WITNESSES ma NORRIS Pzrzns 60.. PHD1o-un-1u wAsnmamm n c.

J. KENNEDY.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1916.

1,277,947. PatentedSept. 3,1918.

12 SHEETS-SHEET I}.

I. KENNEDY.

ROLLING'MILL.

APPLICATIQN man APR. 22. 1916.

Patented Spt. 3,1918.

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FFTCE.

JULIAN KENNEDY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING-MILL.

Application filed April 21, 1916.

Fig. 2 is a view of the same partly in section and partly in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end view of a portion of the mill;

Fig. & is a side elevation on a larger scale of a portion of the mill;

Fig. 5 is a plan view on a larger scale of a portion of the mill;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in vertical section showing the rolls and their housings; 1

Fig. 7 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of the rolls and their housings;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another portion of the mill;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines IXIX and XX of Fig. 8; r

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the roll table, the manipulator guides, etc.;

Fi 12 is a detail view showing partly in section and partly in elevation some of the parts shown in Fig. 11;

Figs. 18 and 14: are fragmentary plan views of portions of one of the roll tables Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation showing a portion of the table and manipulatoractuating mechanisms;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the housing head block removed;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line XVII- XVII of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an end elevation of the cylinders for operating the roll spindles;

Fig. 19 is a section on the line XIX-XIX of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a section on the line XXXX of Fig. 19;

'Fig. '21 is a plan view of a portion of the table and manipulator-actuating mechanisms; and

Fig. is a side elevation of the same.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Serial No. 92,614.

My invention has relation to rolling mills, and more particularly to table mechanism therefor.

In accordance with my invention, I provide roll tables which are movable both laterally and vertically opposite different passes of the mill, together with actuating mechanism of novel character for moving the tables from one position to another. My invention also provides improved manipulator and guide mechanism movable vertically with the table and also capable of certain relative moven'ients with respect thereto.

The invention also has reference to various other minor features of the 'mill, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 2 designates the end housings of a three-high mill, 3 the upper roll therefor, at the middle roll, and 5 the lower roll. The middle roll may be moved vertically by any suitable means, such as the cylinders 6, having their plungers connected to the lever arms 7, which carry the bearings for this roll. The details of this mechanism form no part of the present invention, since any suitable means may be provided for shifting the middle roll.

The numeral 8 designates the roll table at one side of the mill and 9 a similar roll table at the opposite side of the mill. Each of these tables is carried by stirrups or saddles 10. The stirrup at the outer end portion of each tableis suspended by means of two links 11, which are connected at their upper ends to lateral extensions 12 (see Fig. 5) of one arm of a bell crank lever 13. Each of these bell crank levers is pivoted upon a transverse rod or shaft 14, which is car-- ried upon vertical posts 15, having braces 16 connecting them with the roll housings. The stirrup or saddle at the inner end portion of each table is similarly suspended by means of two links 17, connected at their upper ends to lateral projections 18, of one arm of a bell crank lever 19, which is sleeved upon a transverse shaft 20. Each of these shafts 20 is supported in bearings in pro jections 21 of the roll housings. Each of said shafts has rigidly secured thereto a depending crank arm 22 (best shown in Fig. 15) and which is connected at its lower end portion with the plunger 23 of a hydraulic cylinder 2%. These two cylinders are formed in a housing head block (shown in detail in Figs. 16 and 17). The two cylinders 2i have their plunge-rs extending in opposite directions, each plunger being connected to the arm of one of the shafts 20. Each of said shafts also preferably has rigidly secured thereto a crank arm 26, these two crank arms being connected by a link 27 (see Figs. 2 and 4:) whereby the action of the two cylinders Q-Ll is equalized.

Each of the suspension links 11 has a pivotal connection 2? at its upper end with one of the bell cranks 13 or 19, and at its lower end has a universal jointed connection at 29 with the stirrup or saddle 10. These universal jointed connections may be of any desired character. One form of such connection is shown in detail in Fig. 9. In this figure, the links 11 are shown as having loops 30 at their lower ends, the openings of which loosely engage the portions 31 of the stirrups or saddles.

Each pair of bell cranks l3 and 19 con.- nected by a link 82.

From the foregoing description and from the drawings. it will be apparent that each of the roll tables is suspended by four links from one pair of the connected bell cranks 13 and 19, and that the two sets of bell cranks are actuated in unison by the cylin ders it, to raise or lower the tables so as to bring them into proper position with respect to the passes between either the top and middle roll or between the middle and bottom roll.

The roll tables are preferably made narrower than the length ot the middle rolls and are arranged to be shifted laterally in the direction of the transverse axes of the middle rolls in the manner presently described. Each table is also provided with the guides 33 and 3%. Each of the guides is mounted for lateral movement relatively to the table and toward and away from the guide 3i. For this purpose, each of the guides 33 is provided with carriage portions 35, preferably provided with rollers 36 (see Fig. 10) these rollers being arranged to travel on thetransverse guides 37. The guides S-l are fixedly secured to the table to move therewith. The outer ends of the guides 37 may be braced, as indicated at 37-.

For the purpose of shifting the tables laterally and for moving the guides 33 relatively to the rolls of the table, I provide the mechanism now to be described.

Connected to each table by means of universal joints 38 (see Fig. are two laterally extending rods 39, which at their opposite ends are each connected to the hub portion lO of a bell crank lever ll, (see Figs. 5, :21 and Each bell crank lever T1 is pivoted at d2 upon one arm of a triangular lever l3, which, in turn, is fulcrumed at 4st. on a supporting bracket Also mounted on the center at is a two-armed lever at), one arm of which is connected by a link 47 with one of the arms of the bell crank lever ll. Connected to the other arm of each bell crank lever ll is a link rod '-l8 which, at its opposite end, is connected by a. universal joint l9 with oneof the carriages of the guide All the triangular levers l3 are connected into a continuous system by a system of connecting rods 50, and all the arms of the two-armed levers l6 opposite the link connections M are similarly connected b y a system of rods 51. The rods 50 are connected at. one end to a yoke 52, which is actuated by the plunger of a power cylinder 53, and at the opposite end are similarly connected to a yoke 5i, actuated by a plunger of the power cylinder 55. In a similar manner, the rods 51 are connected at one end with a yoke 56, actuated by the plunger of the power cylinder 57, and at the opposite end to the yoke 58, actuated by the plunger of the power cylinder 59. The general arrangement of this system and of its actuating cylinders is best shown in Fig. l. The cylinders 53, 55, 57 and 59 are singleacting cylimlers. By admitting power to the cylinder or to the cylinder 55, the triangular levers -l8 will all be rocked in unison on the center all in one direction or the other, according to which cylinder is operated. This actuates the connecting rods 39 and in to simultaneously move the table and its guide ill and also the guide to which the rods l8 are connected. In this movement, the bell crank levers cl move with the triangular levers $3, on which they are mounted. Power may also be admitted to either cylinder 57 or 59, to thereby rock the levers 4-6 on the centers at, and thereby, through the connections 47 and bell cranks t1, adjust the guides with respect to the guides 34:.

(30 designates a coiinterbalance cylinder which is preferably connected to at least one of the triangular levers 43 for the purpose of steadying the movement of the system. This cylinder is shown in Figs. 1 and It is swiveled on a vertical axis at 61 so as to adapt. itself to the movements of the said lever. For the purpose of steadying and guiding the tables in their lateral movements, each table is preferably provided with a radius bar (32, swiveled at one end to the table at 6 3, and having a ball-andsocket connection at its opposite end at 6% with a suitable supporting post 65, set in the foundation of the mill.

The numeral 56 designates a manipulator shaft which journa'led in bearings 67 on the roll table 8. This shaft has a plurality of crank arms 68, to each of which is pivoted at 69 a manipulator finger 7t) (see Figs, 11,

12 and 13). Each of these fingers 7 0 has an extension 71 back of its pivot 69, and each such extension has a concavity 72, in its heel portion, which is shaped to fit a portion of the periphery of the shaft 66. These manipulator fingers are arranged to oscillate on the centers 69 through slots in the guide 34:. In their normal lowered positions, they are in the positions shown in full lines in Figs. 11 and 12, their free end portions lying underneath and in position tocatch and turn the blank of work piece X (Fig. 12) which is being rolled and which is between the guides 33 and 34:. v

The shaft 69 is operated as follows: It is provided with a crank arm 73 (Figs. 5 and 12) to which is jointed the lower end of a connecting rod 74, whose upper end is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 75,

which is fulcrumed at 7 6 to one arm of one of the bell crank levers 19, above described. The other arm of the bell crank lever 7 5 is connected by link 77 with one arm of a lever 78, which is loosely fulcrumed on the shaft 20, before described (see Fig. 15). The other arm of the lever 78 is connected by a link 79 with the plunger 80 of a power cylinder 81, which is also formed in or car- :ried by the head block housing casting 25,

before referred to.

Vhen power is admitted to this cylinder 81, the lever 78 is thereby actuated to actuate the bell crank lever 7 5 and rock the manipulator shaft 66. As the shaft 66 is rocked, the crank arms 68 are moved from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, thereby carrying the manipulator fingers forwardly and upwardly through the slots in the guide 34, and by reason of the engagements of the heel portions of these fingers with the shaft 66, the fingers are caused to move upwardly as they are moved forwardly, thereby actuating and turning the work piece. Nhen the action of the cylinder 30 is reversed, the fingers are moved back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 12.

Inasmuch as the bell crank 75 is carried by one of the bell cranks 19, the relation of the part-s is not changed in a manner to affect the operation of the shaft 66 when the table 8 is raised or lowered. The movement of the manipulator fingers described is an exceedingly simple and effective one, by reason of the provision of the fulcrums at their heel portions against the shaft 66, which gives them a powerful lifting and turning action.

The roll tables may be of any suitable or usual construction. In Fig. 11, I have shown the manner in which the rolls may be journaled. One of these table rolls is shown at 82, and is secured to an overhung spindle 83, supported in bearings 84, and driven by suitable gear connections 85 with an electric motor 86. 87 indicates a water-cooling system for the rolls.

The housing head block 25, before referred to, preferably consists of a single casting which is bolted rigidly between the end housings and which, as above stated, carries or has formed therein the two cylinders 2% and also the cylinder 81. This casting also preferably carries or has formed therein a cylinder88, whose plunger 89 actuates the yoke 90 which carries the roll counterbalance 91. In this manner, all the power cylinders for raising and lowering the table, for shifting the middle roll, for actuating the manipulator fingers, and for the roll counterbalance may be carried or contained in this head block.

The numeral 92 designates the usual screw-down mechanism for the rolls, which may be actuated in any usual or suitable manner, as by the shaft 93, driven by the motor 94.

The numeral 95 designates the driving spindles for the rolls 3, a and 5. I preferably provide a system of supporting cylin ders for these spindles, this system also providing means whereby the angle of the spindles may be shifted to suit the adjustment of the rolls. This supporting system is shown generally in Fig. 3, and some of the details thereof are shown in :Figs. 18, 19 and 20. Each spindle 95is provided with a yoke 96, in which it rotates, havinglaterally projecting studs or trunnions 97 which engage the bearings in the upper ends of the piston rods 98 of the hydraulic cylinders 99. Two of these rods are provided for the yoke of each of the upper and middle spindles 95, each rod having its own actuating cylinder 99. The lower spindle 95 has its yoke 96 carried by a saddle 100, which, in turn, is carried by the piston 101 of a power cylinder 102.

My invention provides a system of float-- ing tables which are capable of being readily shifted vertically into the desired positions relative to the roll passes and in which the supporting and actuating parts are carried largely on the main housings of the mill. It also enables the use of relatively narrow tables, which can be shifted laterally as well as vertically, together with a simple and eflicient arrangement of guides and manipulators which can be readily controlled and actuated.

It will be noted that the roll tables, in being moved laterally on their suspensions, travel on an arc of a circle whose lOWGSE. point is at the center. This renders my invention particularly applicable to rolling mills in which the mill rolls have their deepest grooves or passes at thecenter and shallower grooves or passes at the sides, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4,;since the arc of movement of the table may be made to conform approximately to the bottom line of the passes in the lower roll.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction, arrangement and combination of parts which I have herein shown and described, since it will be obvious that various changes may be made therein, with out departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, under the broader claims herein, the particular method of supporting the tables and the actuating connections therefor may be widely varied. The tables themselves may be constructed in various ways, and various other changes may be made in the different details.

Features of the manipulator herein shown and described but not claimed form the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 83,699, filed March 13, 1916.

The mechanism for efl'ectin lateral movement of the tables and gait es is claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 187,954, filed August 21, 1917. The novel features of the driving spindle supporting mechanism are claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 187,955, filed August 2%, 1917; and the novel manner of mounting the table rollers is claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 187,956, filed August 24, 1917.

I claim:

1. In a rolling mill, the combination with mill rolls, of a roll table. and means for supporting said table. constructed and arranged to permit the table to move transversely ot' the rolls in a path which is curved in a vertical plane, substantially as described.

2. In a rolling mill having mill rolls, a roll table suspended from above, the sus pension members having means whereby the table may be swung transversely of the mill rolls in a curved path, said members being suspended from. supports which are fixed against lateral movement, substantially as described.

3. In a rolling mill, a roll-table, overhead supports for said table, and suspension members hung from said supports and carrying the table, said suspension members and the table being free to swing laterally about the points of connection of said members with the overhead supports, whereby, as the table is moved laterally it moves in a curved path about the said points of connection, substantially as described.

4. In a rolling mill, a roll-table, overhead supports for said table. and suspension members hung from said supports and carrying the table, said suspension members and the table being free to swing laterally about the points of connection of said members with the overhead supports, whereby, as the table is moved laterally it moves in a curved path about the said points of connection, together with means for effecting a vertical movement of said support, substantially as described.

In a rolling mill, a roll-table, overhead supporting levers, and suspension members having universal joint connections with the levers and also with the table, substantially as described.

(3. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing, a roll table, bell-cranks mounted above the table, suspending members connected to the table and to the bell-cranks, and motive means mounted on the roll-housing and coiiperatively connected to the bell-cran (S. substantially as described.

7. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing, a roll table, bell-cranks mounted above the table, suspending members connected to the table and to the bell-cranks, and motive means mounted on the roll-housing and cooperatively connected to the bell-cranks, the suspension members being arranged to permit the table to swing transversely of the rollhousing, substantially as described.

8. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing having a head block and table-actuating motors carried by said head block, substantially as described.

9. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing having a head block rigidly secured thereto, said head block having a plurality of power cylinders tormed therein. substantially as described.

10. In a rolling mill, a rolthousing having a head block rigidly secured thereto, vertically movable tables, mechanism for raising and lowering the tables, and power cylinders mounted in said head block and operatively connected to the table-raising and lowering mechanism, substantially as described.

11. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing having a head block rigidly secured thereto, vertically movable tables, mechanism for raising and lowering the tables, and power cylinders mounted in said head block and operatively connected to the table-raising and lowering mechanism, together with manipulator mechanism carried by one of the tables, and another motive cylinder carried by said head block and operatively connected to said manipulator mechanism, substantially as described.

12. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing, a roll-table, a system o1 levers above the table, suspension members carried by the levers and suspending the table therefrom, and a power cylinder mounted on the rollhousing and operatively connected with the lever system, to thereby raise and lower the table, substantially as described.

13. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing, a roll-table, a system of levers above the table, suspension members carried by the levers and suspending the table therefrom, a power cylinder mounted on the roll-housing and operatively connected with the lever system, to thereby raise and lower the table, together with independent actuating means for swinging the table laterally from its points of suspension, substantially as described.

let. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing, a vertically movable table at each side of the housing, levers mounted above the tables, suspension members connected to said levers and carrying the tables, motive devices mounted on the housing, one of said devices being operatively connected with the supporting levers of each table, and equalizing connections between the two motive devices, substantially as described.

15. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing having a fixed head block, a roll-table, levers pivoted over the tables to fixed supports, and a motive device mounted on the headblock and operatively connected to the levers, substantially as described.

16. In a rolling mill, a roll-housing having a fixed head block, a roll-table, levers pivoted over the tables to fixed supports, and a motive device mounted on the headblock and operatively connected to the levers, together with a manipulator device mounted on the table, another motive device mounted on the roll-housing, and actuating connections between the last named motive device and the manipulator device, said connections being operative in different lateral and vertical positions of the table, substantially as described.

17. In a rolling mill, a roll-table, overhead supports, suspension members hung from said supports and carrying the table, means for actuating said supports to raise and lower the table, other means for moving the table laterally on its points of suspension, a manipulator mounted on the table, a motive device for the manipulator, and actuating connections between said device and the manipulator, said connections being carried in part through the vertically movable supporting means for the table, substantially as described.

18. In a rolling mill, a roll-table, supports pivotally mounted over the table, suspension members connected to said supports and carrying the table, power means for actuating said supports to raise and lower the table, a manipulator on the table, a motive device for actuating the manipulator, a lever pivoted to one of the pivoted supports, and actuating connections between said lever, the last named motive device, and the manipulator, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JULIAN KENNEDY.

MARGERY FITZGERALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

